Staff at a unit for disabled people expressed concern over the transfer of a resident into Leas Cross nursing home in Dublin who died two weeks after being admitted there, it has emerged.
Documents seen by The Irish Times show some clinical and front staff at St Michael's House - which provides services for people with learning disabilities - expressed alarm at the decision to move 60-year-old Peter McKenna, who had Down syndrome and Alzheimer's, to the nursing home.
Mr McKenna died in painful circumstances two weeks after being admitted to the home in October 2000. Medical records show blood poisoning was the main cause of his death.
The circumstances surrounding the transfer of Mr McKenna to the home are the subject of an independent investigation commissioned by the Health Service Executive (HSE), due to be published shortly.
The nursing home was also the subject of controversy earlier this month, following an RTÉ Prime Time investigation into substandard care.
Records show a number of staff expressed concern about the decision to move Mr McKenna into a nursing home and over standards in Leas Cross nursing home. Mr McKenna's family also expressed strong opposition to the move after visiting the home prior to his transfer.
A relative of Mr McKenna, Dan Moore, said: "I know there were a lot of people upset at moving Peter. I know of three staff there who have left and told me they did so because of what happened to Peter."
One of the senior clinicians who raised concerns over the treatment of Mr McKenna with the board of St Michael's House and the Department of Health on several occasions has resigned from the organisation.
He claims he was the victim of a "sustained period of bullying and intimidation" by senior management, partly due to his highlighting of Mr McKenna's case. His claims are due to be heard at a constructive dismissals case at an Employment Appeals Tribunal next month.
The claims are rejected by St Michael's House, which is contesting the allegations.
A spokesman for St Michael's House was unavailable for comment this week.
However, correspondence from the organisation shows that management has defended its decision to send Mr McKenna to the nursing home.
It says the facility did not have a purpose-built Alzheimer unit at the time and was unable to care for his needs, which involved 24-hour nursing care.
Leas Cross was inspected by a senior social worker for St Michael's House to assess its suitability. Inquiries showed there were no special conditions attached to the home and "there was no reason why he should not have been admitted", according to correspondence.
While St Michael's House initiated the process of moving him, the final decision to transfer Mr McKenna - who was a ward of court - was made by the High Court in October 2000.
An independent investigation of complaints surrounding the handling of Mr McKenna's case and other issues was commissioned by the then Eastern Regional Health Authority on foot of complaints.
The investigation by Martin Hynes - the former head of the Irish Blood Transfusion Service - found the complaints were unfounded and that it was appropriate to move Mr McKenna to the nursing home.
However, a new investigation by Mr Hynes, commissioned by the HSE, is due to be published in the coming weeks.